The Republican establishment has spent the last few months warning that the rise of Trump's presidential candidacy represented a grave threat, not just to the party, but to the country itself. That may still be the case. But in recent weeks, the GOP brass has come face to face with the one man who could make Trump begin to appear appealing: Ted Cruz.

"Cruz has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way in D.C., whereas Trump hasn't, and Trump up until this year was pretty much a player," said Craig Shirley, a longtime GOP strategist and charter member of the establishment. "Ultimately, the Washington establishment deep down -- although they find Trump tacky or distasteful -- they think that they ultimately can work with him. Deep down, a lot of people think it is an act."

There is ample reason for Republican insiders to feel more affinity to the real estate mogul than to the brash Texas tea party senator. As Shirley noted, Washington has spent decades doing business with Trump, if not personally begging him for checks.

But, mainly, the reason that Republican leaders are moving toward Trump has nothing to do with him. They viscerally, unashamedly loathe Cruz.

At this point they don't have much choice, he's likely going to be their nominee. If you think Republicans have tried to be bring him down you haven't seen anything, once he gets into a primary it's open season on him, Hillary's already had everything and the kitchen sink thrown at her, like her or not she's at least hardened by the process. Trump will be facing an uphill battle once he leaves his bubble of haters for the moderates.

At this point they don't have much choice, he's likely going to be their nominee. If you think Republicans have tried to be bring him down you haven't seen anything, once he gets into a primary it's open season on him, Hillary's already had everything and the kitchen sink thrown at her, like her or not she's at least hardened by the process. Trump will be facing an uphill battle once he leaves his bubble of haters for the moderates.

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Funny! Hillary's been shielded from the media and debates by compliant media. Wait until the FBI indicts her and Obama has to come to the rescue with a pardon, then you'll see the fur fly. It'll be Trump vs. Sanders. The Rich Guy vs. The Comrade from Vermont. Capitalism vs. Communism.

Funny! Hillary's been shielded from the media and debates by compliant media. Wait until the FBI indicts her and Obama has to come to the rescue with a pardon, then you'll see the fur fly. It'll be Trump vs. Sanders. The Rich Guy vs. The Comrade from Vermont. Capitalism vs. Communism.

Funny! Hillary's been shielded from the media and debates by compliant media. Wait until the FBI indicts her and Obama has to come to the rescue with a pardon, then you'll see the fur fly. It'll be Trump vs. Sanders. The Rich Guy vs. The Comrade from Vermont. Capitalism vs. Communism.

These things take time. Everyday we're finding out that the email server scandal is worse than originally thought.

Bernie is a Commie sympathizer and a tax-and-spend Socialist Democrat.

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Too be fair no Republican has ever balanced a budget since Ronald Reagan took office. Republicans put elective wars on credit cards and then won't even pay for kids to get treatment when they come back from fighting for no good reason.

Too be fair no Republican has ever balanced a budget since Ronald Reagan took office. Republicans put elective wars on credit cards and then won't even pay for kids to get treatment when they come back from fighting for no good reason.

Too be fair no Republican has ever balanced a budget since Ronald Reagan took office. Republicans put elective wars on credit cards and then won't even pay for kids to get treatment when they come back from fighting for no good reason.

Funny! Hillary's been shielded from the media and debates by compliant media. Wait until the FBI indicts her and Obama has to come to the rescue with a pardon, then you'll see the fur fly. It'll be Trump vs. Sanders. The Rich Guy vs. The Comrade from Vermont. Capitalism vs. Communism.

Gonna be some show.

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Question: How vocal were you on I. Libby's pardon? A search through this forum on that topic reveals absolutely nothing from you.

Could you restate this question as an actual question? You know, logic.

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He thinks it's personal when I mention this but the reality is I think he regularly buries himself and has no ability to dig himself out then starts throwing random questions at you as a result, it's an attempt to throw you off but it usually just comes across as disoriented and off topic.

Democrats had 8 years to balance things, we are at what, about 19 trillion in debt?

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It will take a hell of a lot longer than 8 years to create a surplus out of this mess. The Savings and Loan bailout, recession, and Gulf War in the early 90s took us 8 years to recover; triple that with 2 wars paid on credit, and 3 recessions.

It will take a hell of a lot longer than 8 years to create a surplus out of this mess. The Savings and Loan bailout, recession, and Gulf War in the early 90s took us 8 years to recover; triple that with 2 wars paid on credit, and 3 recessions.

Eight years won't fix that smeg up.

BL.

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As said. Libya & Syria are also on credit

--- Post Merged, Jan 21, 2016 ---

If Clinton wins, wonder if she will credit Obama or bush for the inherited mess

Funny! Hillary's been shielded from the media and debates by compliant media. Wait until the FBI indicts her and Obama has to come to the rescue with a pardon, then you'll see the fur fly. It'll be Trump vs. Sanders. The Rich Guy vs. The Comrade from Vermont. Capitalism vs. Communism.

Gonna be some show.

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The Dems do remember the pardon of Libby also. But he wasn't running for office, he had already got there. Obama well might pardon Clinton but not with an expectation of her being able to continue running for President.

If she is indicted, I would expect Hillary Clinton to withdraw from the race. She's not stupid.

If Clinton is indicted and pardoned, then knowing the woodwork of the GOP these days, all we'll hear after that is about PardonGate and how she traded stepping down from the race and an indictment on either a lesser or a less provable charge for that pardon. When I think about that I hope to God she's not indicted, I am so sick of the rancor.

The thing is, if Clinton does not finish the race, then what, for the Dems? Have to get that young vote out 80 or 90% if Sanders is the nomineee. That's hard to do. But if done, he could win against Trump in the fall. There are more older people and center right types who dislike Trump than one might think. But if it's not Trump, it' would be a harder slog for the Bern.

Democrats had 8 years to balance things, we are at what, about 19 trillion in debt?

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Balanced budget means you don't spend more than you take in. Thirdly there was a 700 million dollar stimulus. The budget has steadily gotten closer to balanced since that Stimulus. Secondly, you do realize that a sizable portion of that is due to the fact Obama added the Iraq and Afghan wars into the debt calculations.

This is the problem with conservatives and Obama. Conservatives aren't honest about his record. So people just tune them out completely. Many conservative ideas and proposals end up being more costly than what the liberals offer up upon further inspection.

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